My name is Ms. Contreras. I am extremely happy that I will be working with your child in my Think TANK and/or ELAR+ class this school year. In this class we will “prepare productive citizens and lifelong learners by addressing the Social and Emotional (SEL) needs of all students.” Social-Emotional Learning (SEL), as defined by the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) is “the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. SEL is a powerful mechanism for instilling long-term social and emotional resilience and addressing student trauma, SEL improves our students’ attitudes toward learning and their self-efficacy. Students who receive social-emotional interventions early and throughout their learning careers demonstrate impressive and measurable benefits later on in life.
Please take some time and go over the class expectations and goals with your child. This will help them have a successful year.
Expectations and Goals
We will come to class prepared and ready to learn every day. We will bring open minds that will respect the learning of everyone in our class. We will respect our space and keep it tidy. We will respect our bodies and minds and raise your hand to let the teacher know when you need something. We will also be using technology regularly in this classroom and will treat all technology equipment respectfully within district guidelines.